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Repairing a leaky drain basket is actually more complicated than repairing sink pipes. Usually, the most common cause of the plumbing leakage is a loose pipe connection. This problem can be easily overcome by tightening the nut that holds the pipe joints together or by winding up a plumber's tape around the connection. Below is a step-by-step instruction on how to fix sink leaks. 1. Detach the nuts which connect the sink plumbing with the basket strainer using a pair of slip joint pliers. Also detach the nuts which connect the trap and the pipe leading to the house drain. Remove the basket and the trap from the sink plumbing for getting clearer sight. 2. Detach the cardboard washer and rubber washer from the basket by loosening the large nut which secures the washers. 3. Use a rubber mallet or other hard but non destructive tool to remove the plumber's putty which seals the sink basket and the sink together. Scrape of the remaining putty residue around the sink hole with a putty knife. 4. Once the drain basket flange has been removed, you should check it thoroughly for rust or other damages. In most cases, leakages are caused by the water flowing out of the cracks in the plumber's putty seal. If this is the cause of the problem, simply put the drain basket back to its place and seal the parts properly with the putty. On the other hand, if the flange is already rusted, cracked, or damaged, replace it with a new one then repeat the same procedure to install the parts back properly. 5. To strengthen the connection of the sink drain, apply a thin rope of plumber's putty beneath the drain basket flange. For PVC pipes, this method is sufficient enough for preventing further leakages. However, if your sink drain uses metal pipes, plumber's tape applied onto the drain connection will help to strengthen the joints. 6. Place the drain basket back into its proper place. For safe installation, you can ask a family member to hold the sink in place while you attach the plumbing. Don't forget to put back the cardboard washer and rubber washer that you removed previously. If you use new drain basket to replace the damaged one, use the new rubber washer that comes with it. 7. Place back all the nuts to their original positions and make sure all of them are installed tightly and correctly. Before cleaning up, make sure there are no more leakages in the sink drain basket or pipe connection.
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